upfront

November marks the beginning of ACA International’s new calendar year membership renewal cycle for all
members. As you may recall, the ACA Board
voted last November to change the fiscal year to
match the calendar year, and members approved
the change at the Annual Meeting of the
Membership in July 2009.

Members wishing to renew online can select

Member Dues at http://www.
acainternational.org/myaca.aspx
beginning on Nov. 16. Renewal
statements will be mailed on
Dec. 1. Additional membership
renewal information can be
found on page 16.

I encourage you to reinvest
in your industry and your
association by renewing your
membership for 2010. If you
have any questions about your
membership benefits, please
visit www.acainternational.org,
e-mail aca@acainternational.org
or call + 1(952) 926-6547.

Washington, D.C., Office

As ACA President Karolyn Rubin mentioned
in her President’s Page column last month, ACA
International celebrated the grand opening of the
new federal government affairs office in
Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30. A ribbon-cutting
ceremony and reception were held in conjunction
with the association’s fall Washington, D.C., Fly-In.

The building played host to more than three
dozen ACA members, three members of
Congress, a number of Congressional staff
members and numerous guests from other
associations and organizations, including the
American Bankers Association and Better Business
Bureau.

Participating ACA members were pleased with
their new association home on Capitol Hill. Many
commented how nice it was to have a central
gathering place to meet, strategize and debrief

12 I November 2009 Collector

before, between and after visits with members of
Congress.

Fly-in participants met with more than 50
members of Congress and their staff, provided
information about the credit and collection
industry’s issues and asked for support when
legislators consider bills affecting the industry.

For a complete wrap-up of the grand opening
and fly-in events, please see pages 36-37. When
visiting Washington, D.C., please stop by the new
office at 509 2nd Street N.E.

Asset Buying

In recent years, asset buying has become a
larger part of the credit and collection industry. In
addition to placing accounts with third-party
collection agencies on a contingency basis,
creditors are using asset sales as a way to recover
some of the income lost when consumers don’t
pay their debts. Because some asset buyers don’t
do any of their own collecting, many agencies are
collecting on their behalf.

This month’s feature articles are dedicated to
asset buying. Whether you currently are involved
in asset buying or may have an interest in the
future, I encourage you to review these articles:

• Educated Decision or Dumb Luck, page 18,
discusses the importance of due diligence for
reducing risk and increasing profitability.